Active Backup for Business Agent

The Active Backup for Business Agent must be installed on the Windows device, Mac computer, and Linux physical server you want to protect. All management tasks, including task management and template configuration, must be configured in the Active Backup for Business console.

Active Backup for Business Agent for Windows

Installation

The agent installer is an .msi file. You can download the 32-bit or 64-bit version, depending on your Windows device. The installer is available for download in the Download Center (under Desktop Utilities).

For the operations in this section, you need to sign in to Windows with an account that has administrative privileges.

To install the agent:

Launch the installer on your Windows device. Read through the Terms of Service and start the installation.

To install the agent in batch:

You can install the agent on multiple Windows devices using Microsoft Windows Active Directory Service (ADS).

To update the agent:

When there is a newer version of the agent, you can update the agents on source devices by installing the new version. Remotely batch updating the agents on multiple devices can be done in Active Backup for Business console or using Microsoft Windows Active Directory Domain Services.

To uninstall the agent:

On your Windows device, go to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program. Find Synology Active Backup for Business Agent, then click Uninstall and follow the onscreen instructions.

Configuration

Task settings are managed by the package managers in the Active Backup for Business console. Users with manager privileges can edit settings such as the template name, backup mode, schedule, and retention.

To create a backup template:

You must create backup templates in the Active Backup for Business console. Open Active Backup for Business and go to Settings > Template to create and edit backup templates. Template settings can't be changed via the agent, but you can choose to back up your Windows device as a personal computer or physical server at the Summary step of the wizard.

To connect your Windows device to the server:

1. On your device, click Start > All Programs > Synology > Synology Active Backup for Business Agent to launch the agent.
2. Enter the IP address or DDNS of the Synology NAS. Enter your username and password, and click Connect. Keep in mind that spaces count as characters in the text fields.
3. If you are unable to connect to the Synology NAS, click Proxy to open the proxy setting window. Fill in your settings and re-connect to the Synology NAS.
4. You'll see the backup summary of this device. All the settings are based on the template or task configured in the console and can't be changed. However, you can change the backup type of the device. Click OK to finish.

To change the backup type:

You must have the package manager or sufficient permissions to change the backup type. You can choose if you want to back up the Windows device as a personal computer or physical server. The available restoration methods between the two types are different.

1. Click on the backup type (PC or Physical server).
2. Enter the package manager's account and password.
3. Select the type you want and click OK.

To start a backup immediately:

When you create a template in the console, you can decide whether to start a backup right after a source is connected to the server. You'll need to select Back up instantly after the client is connected to your Synology NAS for the first time at Settings > Template > Schedule.

You can only start backups from the console and not from the agent.

Windows taskbar

After you install the agent, it'll run in the background until you disconnect it from the server by signing out. You can find the agent icon on the Windows taskbar. Right-click the icon to access the following actions:

• Backup status: Real-time backup status. If there's an error, click View backup status for more details.
• View backup status: Click to view details of the current backup. You can check other server information and recent activities as well.
• Edit connection: If the server address changes, you'll need to edit the connection. Otherwise, the agent will be disconnected from the server.
• Log out: Enter the package manager's credentials to sign out. If you sign out from the agent, your device disconnects from the server. The device's backup task will not be deleted. When you connect to the same server later, the system will perform the missed backups during the time your device was disconnected.
• About: Current version information and links to Terms of Service and Privacy Statement.
• Troubleshooting:
  • Help: This document provides information and instructions related to the agent.
  • Export logs: If you encounter issues with the agent and need to contact Synology Technical Support, providing the exported logs will help speed up the troubleshooting process.
• Exit: Exiting the application will not terminate the service on the device. You can always go to Start > Synology and run Synology Active Backup for Business Agent to launch the agent interface.

Monitor

The backup agent helps you monitor the device's backups. Click View backup status to access information such as the current backup status, previous and upcoming backup times, server information, and recent activities.

Backup status

Refer to the following backup statuses:

Icon	Status	Details
	Completed	The last backup is complete.
	Backing up	The device is being backed up.
	Idle	The device hasn't run any backup task yet.
	Canceled	The backup task has been canceled. Backup tasks can only be canceled from the Active Backup for Business console.
	Partial success	The backup task is only partially successful. Go to Active Backup for Business > Activities > Task History for details.
	Error	1 or more errors occurred during the backup. Go to Active Backup for Business > Activities > Task History for more details.

Server information

In View backup status > Server information, you can view details about the server your Windows device is connected to and the user account you are signed in with. If the server's address changes, you can modify the connection. However, you can't change the signed-in account while editing the connection.

Recent activities

All backup details are listed in chronological order.

Restore

You can restore individual files and folders by launching the Recovery Portal from the agent. As long as you have the right permissions (package managers, operators with restore privilege, or permitted users), you can browse, restore, and download files and folders in the Recovery Portal.

Disconnect from the server

Right-click the agent icon from the Windows taskbar, then click Log out. You need to enter the credentials of the package manager account to authorize the action.

This will not remove your device from the backup task or template, but your device will not be backed up after you disconnect it.

Active Backup for Business Agent for macOS

Installation

The agent installer is a .dmg file. You can download the installer from the Download Center (under Desktop Utilities).

For the operations in this section, you need to sign in to macOS with an account that has administrator privileges.

To install the agent:

Confirm that you have enabled the kernel extensions (kexts) before the installation.

Launch the installer on your Mac. Read through the Terms of Service and start the installation.

To update the agent:

When there is a newer version of the agent, you can update the agents on source devices by installing the new version. Remotely batch updating the agents on multiple Mac computers can be done in the Active Backup for Business console.

To uninstall the agent:

1. Open Finder, then click Applications from the sidebar.
2. Control-click on Synology Active Backup for Business Agent and select Show Package Contents.
3. Open the "Contents" folder. Double click Uninstall Synology Active Backup for Business Agent.

Configuration

Task settings are managed by the package managers in the Active Backup for Business console. Users with manager privileges can edit settings such as the template name, backup mode, schedule, and retention.

To create a backup template:

You must create backup templates in the Active Backup for Business console. Open Active Backup for Business and go to Settings > Template to create and edit backup templates. Template settings can't be changed via the agent.

To connect your Mac to the server:

1. On your Mac, click Finder > Application > Synology Active Backup for Business Agent to launch the agent.
2. Enter the IP address or DDNS of the Synology NAS. Enter your username and password, and click Connect. Keep in mind that spaces count as characters in the text fields.
3. If you are unable to connect to the Synology NAS, click Proxy to open the proxy setting window. Fill in your settings and re-connect to the Synology NAS.
4. You'll see the backup summary of this computer. All the settings are based on the template or task configured in the console. Click OK to finish.

To start a backup immediately:

When you create a template in the console, you can decide whether to start a backup right after a source is connected to the server. You'll need to select Back up instantly after the client is connected to your Synology NAS for the first time at Settings > Template > Schedule.

You can only start backups from the console and not from the agent.

macOS menu bar

After you install the agent, it'll run in the background until you disconnect it from the server by signing out. You can find the agent icon on your Mac's menu bar. Click on it to access the following actions:

• Backup status: Real-time backup status. If there's an error, click View backup status for more details.
• View backup status: Click to view details of the current backup. You can check other server information and recent activities as well.
• Edit connection: If the server address changes, you'll need to edit the connection. Otherwise, the agent will be disconnected from the server.
• Log out: Enter the package manager's credentials to sign out. If you sign out from the agent, your device disconnects from the server. The device's backup task will not be deleted. When you connect to the same server later, the system will perform the missed backups during the time your device was disconnected.
• About: Current version information and links to Terms of Service and Privacy Statement.
• Troubleshooting:
  • Help: This document provides information and instructions related to the agent.
  • Export logs: If you encounter issues with the agent and need to contact Synology Technical Support, providing the exported logs will help speed up the troubleshooting process.
• Exit: Exiting the application will not terminate the service on the device. You can always find it in Finder > Application. Click Synology Active Backup for Business Agent to launch the agent.

Monitor

The backup agent helps you monitor the device's backups. Click View backup status to access information such as the current backup status, previous and upcoming backup times, server information, and recent activities.

Backup status

Refer to the following backup statuses:

Icon	Status	Details
	Completed	The last backup is complete.
	Backing up	The device is being backed up.
	Idle	The device hasn't run any backup task yet.
	Canceled	The backup task has been canceled. Backup tasks can only be canceled from the Active Backup for Business console.
	Partial success	The backup task is only partially successful. Go to Active Backup for Business > Activities > Task History for details.
	Error	1 or more errors occurred during the backup. Go to Active Backup for Business > Activities > Task History for more details.

Server information

In View backup status > Server information, you can view details about the server your Mac is connected to and the user account you are signed in with. If the server's address changes, you can modify the connection. However, you can't change the signed-in account while editing the connection.

Recent activities

All backup details are listed in chronological order.

Restore

You can restore individual files and folders by launching the Recovery Portal from the agent. As long as you have the right permissions (package managers, operators with restore privilege, or permitted users), you can browse, restore, and download files and folders in the Recovery Portal.

Disconnect from the server

Click the agent icon from your Mac's menu bar, then click Log out. You need to enter the credentials of the package manager account to authorize the action.

This will not remove your device from the backup task or template, but your device will not be backed up after you disconnect it.

Active Backup for Business Agent for Linux

Installation

The agent installer is a .zip file. You can download the installer from the Download Center (under Desktop Utilities).

For the operations in this section, your Linux user account must have administrative privileges.

To install the agent:

1. Make sure that you download the correct installer for your Linux physical server.
   • deb: Ubuntu and Debian distributions
   • rpm: CentOS, RHEL, and Fedora distributions
2. After extracting the downloaded file, follow the steps in the README file and execute sudo ./install.run to install the snapshot driver and agent on your Linux device.

To update the agent:

The agent can be updated by installing a newer installer directly on the device. Remotely batch updating the agents on multiple Linux physical servers can be done in the Active Backup for Business console.

To uninstall the agent:

You need to uninstall the backup service first before uninstalling the snapshot driver. Follow these steps based on the file type of the installer on your device.

For the deb installer:

1. Enter the following command to uninstall the backup service.
   apt remove synology-active-backup-business-linux-service
2. Enter the following command to uninstall the driver.
   apt remove synosnap

For the rpm installer:

1. Enter the following command to uninstall the backup service.
   yum remove synology-active-backup-business-linux-service
2. Enter the following command to uninstall the driver.
   yum remove synosnap

Configuration

Task settings are managed by the package managers in the Active Backup for Business console. Users with manager privileges can edit settings such as the template name, backup mode, schedule, and retention.

To connect your Linux device to the server:

Use the commands to connect your physical servers to the Active Backup for Business server. When the device is successfully connected, you'll see the backup summary of this physical server.

abb-cli is the name of the Active Backup for Business Agent in the command line. Refer to the following commands:

View the following options:

To create a backup template:

You must create backup templates in the Active Backup for Business console. Open Active Backup for Business and go to Settings > Template to create and edit backup templates.

To start a backup immediately:

When you create a template in the console, you can decide whether to start a backup right after a source is connected to the server. You'll need to select Back up instantly after the client is connected to your Synology NAS for the first time at Settings > Template > Schedule.

You can only start backups from the console and not from the agent.

To view more information about backups:

Enter the command abb-cli -s. You'll see the connection status, signed-in account, backup destination, and previous and upcoming backup times.

Restore

You can restore individual files and folders by launching the Recovery Portal from the agent. As long as you have the right permissions (package managers, operators with restore privilege, or permitted users), you can browse, restore, and download files and folders in the Recovery Portal.

Physical servers can be restored to other virtual platforms (VMware and Hyper-V) and Virtual Machine Manager. For more information on different restoration methods, refer to Restore physical servers.